Envelop.



No. 860,410. PATENTED JULY 16, 1907.

M. H. OWENS.

BNVBLOP.

APPLIOATION nun JUNE 1c, 1900.

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MACK HENRY OWENS, OF STINER, TENNESSEE.

ENVE LOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed June 16, 1906. Serial No. 322,034.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MACK HENRY OWENS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Stiner, in the county of Union and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in envelops, the object of the invention being to provide a mailing envelop of simple and inexpensive construction which is adapted to be sealed in such a manner as to confine the contents thereof so that it cannot be opened or any attempts made to open it without giving visual evidence of the fact that it has been tampered with.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the back of the blank from which the envelop is formed. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the upper sealing flap turned over in the first stage of forming the envelop. Fig. 3 is a back view of the completed envelop sealed to confine the contents therein. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section through the sealed envelop.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the improved envelop, which is provided with top and bottom sealing flaps 2 and 3 and end sealing flaps 4. The top sealing flap 2.is adapted to be bent over upon the body on the dotted line 5 and is provided at its side edges with sealing flanges 6 adapted to be bent inwardly on the dotted division lines 7, the normally front faces of said flanges being gummed for attachment to the rear surface of the body 1 when the said top sealing flange is folded over upon the same, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The top sealing flange is further slitted to form a flexible tongue 8 gummed upon its rear surface line for attachment to the bottom sealing flap 3, as hereinafter described. The bottom sealing flap 3 is provided at its side edges with sealing flanges 10 adapted to be bent inwardly on the dotted division lines 11, the normally front edges of said flanges being gummed for attachment to the rear surface of the top sealing flap 2 when the latter is folded over upon the body 1, thus fastening said flaps securely to each other and to the body. The outer free edge of the bottom sealing flap is also gummed, as at 12, for attachment to the top sealing flap, and said bottom sealing flap is provided adjacent to said edge with a slit 13 through which the tongue 8 is passed. The end sealing flaps 4 are approximately of triangular form and are adapted to be bent inwardly on the dotted divisional line 14 and provided with gummed surfaces 15 for attachment to the bottom sealing flap.

In use, the letter or matter to be mclosed in the en velop is placed against the rear surface of the body 1, and the flap 2 then turned over upon the same, its flanges 6 being bent around the outer end edges of the letter and sealed to the body. The bottom flap 3 is then turned over upon the top sealing flap, its flanges l0 bent inwardly and secured to the rear surface of said flap, and the tongue 8 then passed through the slit 13 to extend exteriorly over upon the rear surface of the bottom sealing flap, to which it is fastened by its gummed face 9. The end scaling flaps 4 are then folded over upon the bottom sealing flap and tongue and secured thereto by its gummed surfaces 15, thus sealing the onvelop.

It will be apparent that this construction and mode of folding the envelop to confine the contents will result in the latter being securely held in such a manner that the envelop cannot be opened by the ordinary process of steaming or in any other way withoutgiving visual evidence of the fact that it has been opened or tampered with. The envelop is simple, may be manufactured at a low cost, may be conveniently sealed and is eminently effective for its intended purpose.

\Vhile for convenience of description and illustration I have shown the flaps 2 and 3 as top and bottom flaps and have so designated them, it will be understood that these flaps may be reversed as to position or arranged at the ends of the envelop, in which latter event the flaps 4 will be disposed at the top and bottom of the envelop, as willbe readily understood. Such changes in construction and arrangement are apparent and may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

An envelop comprising a body, a top sealing [lap adapted to be turned over upon the hack of the body and provided with side sealing flanges adapted to be secured to the rear face of the body, said flap being slitted to form a tongue having a gummed surface, a bottom sealing flap adapted to be turned over upon the top sealing flap and provided with a gummed surface along its free edge and gummed folding side flanges for attachment to the top sealing flap, said bottom sealing flap being further provided with a transverse slit through which the tongue upon the top flap is adapted to he passed and secured to the rear surface of said bottom sealing flap, 5nd end flaps adapted to he turned over upon and secured to said sealing flaps.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MACK HENRY OWENS.

Witnesses J. M. WInTED, \VILL Rousn. 

